Explore the Enchanting History and Beauty of Indonesia’s Banda Islands

Formerly known as the Spice Islands, the Banda Islands in eastern Indonesia were once the center of the global spice trade.

You probably haven’t heard of them. You almost certainly wouldn’t be able to find them on a map. However, there’s a compelling case to be made that eastern Indonesia’s tiny Banda Islands—or the Spice Islands, as they were traditionally known in the West—have shaped the last 500 years of human history more than any other place on earth. I’ll assert that the Banda Islands are the birthplace of modern capitalism. Whatever your views on this economic system that governs the world, you may find it intriguing to learn that it could have originated approximately 600 miles north of Australia, on a collection of palm-fringed volcanic islands situated in an azure sea—a location that seems impossibly distant from our crowded, hyper-connected centers of commerce.

My journey began, as all my adventures do, in the pulsating heart of capitalism. In late 2019—just a few months before the pandemic halted global travel—I flew from New York to Hong Kong, then from Hong Kong to Bali, and finally from Bali to a town called Maumere, located on the eastern Indonesian island of Flores. There, I indulged in one of life’s luxurious experiences—a luxury cruise.

As I stepped onto the long-range explorer yacht with the other passengers, a charming man in sunglasses, with silvery hair swept back, invited us to remove our shoes. His faint accent suggested Italian heritage, and I later discovered he had lived in many places, including Rome, Zurich, Bonn, Cyprus, Boston, London, Ecuador, Peru, Singapore, and possibly a few more locations.

He identified himself as Francesco Galli Zugaro, the adventurous entrepreneur behind Aqua Expeditions, the cruise line that owns and operates the vessel. His firm has led the way in small-scale river cruises, particularly with itineraries along the Mekong in Southeast Asia. The Aqua Nera was launched recently and navigates the Peruvian Amazon. Galli Zugaro disclosed that he and his wife, Birgit—guest experiences director—would accompany us on this voyage.

The Aqua Blu marks Galli Zugaro’s first venture into ocean cruising, allowing for exploration of this remote section of Asia without the complications of organizing a private charter (although groups can charter the yacht for up to 30 passengers, ideal for those seeking privacy). Originally built as a survey vessel for the British Royal Navy, it now boasts four teak decks, 15 plush carpeted suites, and an Italian parquet-floored bar.

This adventure would cover a 600-mile stretch of a nation made up of 17,508 islands—an itinerary made possible only by cruise.

On the first evening, in a lounge adorned with mementos from the Galli Zugaros’ explorations in Southeast Asia and Oceania—a golden Buddha statue from Thailand and a feathered headdress from New Guinea—Galli Zugaro informed us that this was the Aqua Blu‘s inaugural cruise, and the first vessel of its kind to navigate the notoriously powerful currents of eastern Indonesia’s open waters. Most tourists who had previously sailed these seas had either chartered their own yachts or traveled on a traditional wooden schooner known as a palari. “You’ve obviously chosen this voyage because the spirit of adventure resides in you,” he declared.

The adventure would take us east along the remote Southeast Moluccas, sometimes referred to as the Forgotten Islands. We would then traverse one of the world’s deepest seas before heading north toward Raja Ampat, the heart of the Coral Triangle—home to more marine species than any other place on Earth.

During the journey, we would stop at the Banda Islands. From the 15th to mid-17th centuries, during the Age of Exploration, they were renowned among European sailors as the source of nutmeg and mace—spices that commanded exorbitant prices due to their rarity, as they were found only in this region.

Our experience would be far more comfortable than those who once risked dysentery and starvation to load their ships with these exquisite treasures centuries ago. In our bathrooms, towels were infused with a sweet, woody fragrance, a creation by Birgit and the ship’s meticulous decorator, developed in collaboration with a perfumer in Bali.

Dining would also be a delight. Meals were served on custom plates decorated with artwork of Wallace’s flying frogs, named after British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, who independently formulated the theory of evolution in eastern Indonesia’s diverse forests. The menu celebrated the varied cuisines of the old spice route, which connected the Mediterranean’s port cities to the remote islands we were about to discover: Balinese-style suckling pig paired with a fresh corn and palm heart salad, succulent lamb shoulder accompanied by a vibrant tabbouleh, and translucent sashimi—an impromptu addition inspired by fishermen who offered us their catch of tuna just hours prior.

Most days consisted of snorkeling or diving excursions at nearby reefs, taking place in the morning and afternoon. While floating face-down in the waters, I could admire butterflyfish and parrotfish—creatures named after angels, trumpets, and clowns—darting through the vibrant coral below. As I ventured beyond the reef’s edge, my thoughts settled while waiting for a large turtle or a school of barracuda to appear from the depths.

Every two or three days, we would break from this enchanting routine to visit one of the villages along our route. One morning, we awoke anchored about a hundred yards off the shore of an island featuring two lush green peaks. Smoke wafted from the taller peak. We were gazing at Mount Serua, among the region’s most active volcanoes, and possibly the most isolated of all the Forgotten Islands. Galli Zugaro mentioned that few cruise vessels in eastern Indonesia would bother to stop here.

Discover one of the Most Romantic Islands in the World

For the most part, the trip had been so smooth that I scarcely remembered I was on a boat, though I did feel the swells the night before. As we crossed the Banda Sea—four miles at its deepest point—the 12-hour crossing was the longest of our trip. Now the water was calm again, and a small skiff passed between the island and our yacht. Two men and a boy approached, and some of the Indonesian crew members asked if they could show us their village. After a brief conversation, a box filled with provisions from the Aqua Blu kitchen ensued: instant ramen, sugar, coffee, rice, a loaf of bread, and a jar of jam.

Upon disembarking onto the rocky beach, we were welcomed by a tall man wearing a Nike cap. “This is the village chief,” said one of our scuba guides, Kaz Kazzuaeni, who doubled as our interpreter. “He believes God has guided us to visit today.” The chief then turned toward the volcano and silently offered a prayer to ancestors for permission to receive visitors. Following this, he guided us up a path through tangled trees toward the village. According to Kazzuaeni, we were the first outsiders ever to step ashore there.

The village of Waru sits about 1,300 feet above the sea. Our host informed us that the 60 families residing there cultivate nutmeg and cloves, just as their ancestors did centuries ago. The village was established by their forebears more than 200 years ago. Before that, as he recounted, they lived in caves. The houses are small, topped with rusty tin roofs, while the Christian church stands as a bright building of white stucco with turquoise accents and a pale blue steeple. Inside, a white tin rooster perched on a Christmas tree adorned with feathery branches. Stepping outside into the sun’s glare, I reached a breathtaking overlook. The twinkling sea extended endlessly, swifts danced in the air, and unseen birds filled the surrounding jungle with melodic calls.

In Raja Ampat, we sailed through channels shimmering in the sun, navigating a labyrinth of limestone islands, all shaped beautifully by the tides.

This was one of several moments when Galli Zugaro delivered what he termed “the wow factor.” Another unforgettable encounter unfolded a couple of days later as we spotted dolphins while traveling in tenders to dive at a reef. Initially, we saw one, then more, soon realizing we were approaching hundreds of them, their sleek dark bodies cresting and dipping in synchronized rows. They leapt joyfully into the air around us, racing beneath the boat from port to starboard. Our driver turned off the engine, and we slipped into the water, but the dolphins were too quick, disappearing into the distance. Listening underwater, I could hear their cheerful chatter and clicks as they fled.

In the days ahead, we would continue to navigate through Raja Ampat’s splendid channels, each filled with vibrant life, from spotting a sperm whale breaching close to the vessel to swimming in a salt lake filled with unique stingless jellyfish. Nevertheless, the high point of the voyage arrived when we finally spotted the Banda Islands, once among the world’s most coveted destinations.

When Columbus departed from Spain in 1492, he sought not only the East Indies in general but those nine specific islands. Similarly, Ferdinand Magellan pursued the same goal in 1519 with his ill-fated expedition to circumnavigate the globe (only one out of five ships made it, and not before Magellan was killed in the Philippines by warriors resisting conversion to Christianity).

For two centuries, the Netherlands, Portugal, and England battled over these islands, with the Dutch acquiring one from the English in exchange for what is now known as Manhattan. Now, as the yacht glided into the harbor, I spotted the characteristic archways and terra-cotta rooftops of Banda Neira, once the center of the global nutmeg trade.

Leading us through the old colonial town, our guide pointed out a former grand hotel fallen into decay, its custard-yellow paint peeling. Further down, spiders the size of mice lingered on cobweb strands hanging from balconies, and 17th-century cannons lay abandoned by the street. Visitors might regard this town as “faded,” yet locals likely have a different perspective. The market bustled with freshly caught skipjack and grouper, alongside vibrant bins filled with pandan leaves and chiles. The homes were painted in vibrant hues of lime, lemon, indigo, and salmon.

While my fellow passengers browsed the museum’s collection of coins and armaments from the colonial era, I noticed one of our snorkeling guides, an Indonesian named Refli from Sulawesi, studying a somber painting depicting Japanese mercenaries slaughtering many native people under the watchful eye of a Dutch commander. “It’s very sad,” Refli remarked, “but one must understand history.”

The colonization of the Banda Islands represents one of history’s darker narratives. In 1621, a fleet of ships from the Dutch East India Company arrived, and within two months executed a complete takeover, deporting, enslaving or killing as many as 14,000 of 15,000 indigenous inhabitants. A statue of Jan Pieterszoon Coen, the officer responsible for this atrocity, stands in his birthplace of Hoorn in the Netherlands. However, in Banda Neira’s abandoned mansion, the only remnant of his reign was a suicide note scratched into a windowpane by the Frenchman who cooked for him. After Indonesia gained independence from the Dutch in 1949, every last piece of furniture was discarded.

At an orchard just outside town, we finally encountered the literal origin of the greed and violence of that period. At one of the islands’ last nutmeg plantations, we learned from a guide using a long-handled basket to pick golden fruits. He sliced the flesh with his machete to unveil a dried brown nut encased in crimson threads of mace. Once prized for its ability to preserve meat and purported protection against the plague, this spice fetched prices in Europe that surpassing those of gold.

The twinkling sea stretched out to the horizon, while invisible birds filled the jungle behind me with their melodic calls.

Once the Dutch East India Company secured control over the Banda Islands and began importing nutmeg, an influx of wealth transformed the cities of the West, altering history’s trajectory. As Charles Corn detailed in Scents of Eden: A Narrative of the Spice Trade, it “spawned a new age of revolutionary economics based on credit, the rise of a rudimentary banking system, and ultimately free enterprise.” In essence, the blood-soaked soil of the Banda Islands—today so obscure that some maps omit it—was indeed where modern capitalism took root.

As evening fell and the heat waned, we ascended a candlelit staircase leading to a grand pentagonal fortress built by the Dutch. The young Balinese men who had provided our drinks during the cruise set up a bar on the ramparts just for us. I ordered a gin and tonic, strolled to the parapet, and admired the golden clouds floating gracefully over the harbor.

Approximately four centuries prior, a series of Dutchmen likely occupied the very spot I stood, aiming muskets through the notches where I rested my drink. I considered how my presence there was in part a consequence of their actions—had they not claimed this land and exported its treasures, the currents of history might not have allowed Europeans and Americans to explore this stunning corner of the world aboard a yacht. After finishing my drink, I ordered another, and then we all returned to the Aqua Blu to witness the sunset. The clouds were tinged with purple, mirrored in the sea, while far off on the horizon, the sun radiated like the golden fruit that transformed the world.

Sailing the Spice Islands

Aqua Expeditions offers 12-day voyages on the Aqua Blu between the Banda (Spice) Islands in March, October, and November. Though specific routes may vary, the closest itinerary mirrors the one undertaken by the author in March this year and in 2022. For a fully customized adventure, guests can charter the Aqua Blu and explore the region at their own pace. Itineraries start at $12,800 per person, all-inclusive. Chartering a yacht begins at $290,000 for seven days, all-inclusive.

In Indonesia, Aqua Expeditions can facilitate regional flights from Bali or Jakarta to Flores or Ambon, where passengers embark on the yacht. Additionally, the company recently partnered with Nihi Sumba, a resort renowned for its private-island ambiance and world-class surfing. This partnership includes a four-night charter (for up to 30 individuals) on the Aqua Blu, featuring stops for hiking, mountain biking, and diving, followed by three nights at Nihi Sumba. Packages start at $281,000, all-inclusive.